Johns Hopkins Chief Resigns After 'White Privilege' Comments: Reports

BALTIMORE, MD — Sherita Golden, Johns Hopkins Medicine’s chief diversity officer, stepped down from the role Tuesday two months after a newsletter she wrote containing the definition of "white privilege" sparked backlash among conversation groups and other high-profile figures, according to multiple reports.

Dr. Theodore DeWeese, dean of Hopkins Medicine’s medical faculty, and Kevin Sowers, the president of the Johns Hopkins Health System, announced that Golden stepped down from her role after "a great deal of reflection," The Baltimore Sun reported.

University officials told the Sun that Golden will continue to work as a professor of endocrinology and metabolism and diabetes researcher.

In January, the diversity office published a newsletter in which Golden wrote that white privilege is defined as "a set of unearned benefits given to people who are in a specific social group," reports said.

That group included white people, able-bodied people, heterosexuals, cisgender people, males, Christians, middle-class people, middle-aged people, and English-speaking people, reports said.

The email sent by Golden was obtained by the X account "End Wokeness," where it garnered backlash through thousands of comments by social media users.

Elon Must reposted the @EndWokeness post with the caption: "This must end!"

Johns Hopkins officials responded shortly after the email went viral, stating Golden's definition of white privilege ran "counter to the values of our institution, and our mission and commitment to serve everyone equally," the Baltimore Banner reported.

In the letter sent Tuesday, Johns Hopkins officials said they plan to conduct a "thorough national search" to find Golden's replacement.

While in her position as chief diversity officer, Golden doubled the number of groups at Johns Hopkins Medicine that address the needs of underrepresented people and implemented an annual residency recruitment program, the Banner reported.

Inez Stewart, Hopkins Medicine’s chief human resources officer, will lead the office while the search for a replacement is underway, reports said.